Charges have been brought against 17 anti-mass migration Identitarian movement activists in Graz using a law designed for combatting the mafia, the public prosecutor accusing the activists of forming a "criminal organisation".

The public prosecutor's office announced the charges Monday against ten of the leaders of the Austrian branch of the Identitarian movement and a further seven other activists.

The prosecutor laid several charges against the activist group including the formation of a criminal organisation that could see activists fined or even imprisoned for up to three years, Kronen Zeitung reports.

According to the prosecutor, the aim of the various actions of the Identitarian movement was to "incite hatred against the religious society of Islam, against Muslims, foreigners and refugees, and especially Turkish nationals, and to scorn and discredit these groups through insults in public opinion".

In their statement, the prosecutor listed several different actions to prove their case including a protest in which the group put a banner on the Graz Green Party headquarters saying "Islamisation Kills".